


Distractions

by AQLM



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Light-Hearted, Mild Smut, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-17 11:56:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13658493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AQLM/pseuds/AQLM
Summary: Karin Chakwas regularly referred to the Alliance as her mate. Her decades of service were marked only by the rare fling she would find in port alongside her crewmembers. A chance meeting with Hannah Shepard at her daughter's baby shower leads Dr. Chakwas to reconsider her position, at least for a few nights. Her plans are interrupted by a sudden blast from Hannah's past: Liara's brash and protective father, the Matriarch Aethyta.In partial fulfillment for the 2018 Rare Pair challenge, featuring a pair so rare (Aethyta and Hannah Shepard) that I'm the starter. Marked teen for some mild smut and Bad Language.





	1. Awkward Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [boshtet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/boshtet/gifts).



_The Citadel, Shepard’s apartment: Sometime After the Reaper War_

_The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree_ , Dr. Chakwas thought as she covertly swept her eyes over the party’s newest arrival. It wasn’t like the Normandy’s crew needed an excuse to get together and celebrate but a baby shower somehow made for a larger, rowdier group than usual. Given the significance of the event, included in this mix for the first time was the illustrious Commander Shepard’s mother, Hannah Shepard.

Karin Chakwas knew of Hannah by reputation only. Lila Shepard was reticent about her family and her past, enough that Chakwas didn’t know Hannah was alive until after Lila’s death. Watching this graceful woman walk into the room, Karin wished she had pushed Shepard for more information. Career military with merits to spare, the woman gave a preview of Shepard should she reach that age. Trim and lightly muscled, streaks of grey in chestnut hair, and just enough lines to highlight her age without obscuring her beauty. The faces were different, though. Lila’s angled jaw and sharp nose had come from a father who died before Shepard joined the Alliance. Hannah’s face was rounder and smoother, with a curving mouth that smiled at her target. 

The commander caught sight of her mother and left Liara’s side to greet her. The hug they exchanged was warm but awkward, a bit like two frigates bouncing off each other mid-docking. No lack of affection but no way to express it. Karin suppressed a smile. It was so utterly military it might as well have been wearing fatigues. 

“Mom, I’m so glad you could make it,” said Shepard, hanging up her mother’s coat and guiding her over to Liara on the couch. “I didn’t know if the Orizaba was still running missions along the Turian border.”

“The Alliance can spare us for a few days, especially for you. They know better than to question the savior of the galaxy.” Hannah sat down and patted Liara’s stomach fondly. “Or the heir to the savior of the galaxy. She’s due any minute, m’dear?”

Liara groaned and slumped into the couch. “I would take her out myself if I thought Dr. Chakwas would let me use the Normandy’s medbay.”

At the sound of her name, Karin stopped pretending not to admire Hannah and walked over to the three women. Shepard and her mother stood up as Shepard did the introductions. “Mom, this is Dr. Karin Chakwas, the best and most patient doctor in the fleet. Dr. Chakwas, this is Admiral Hannah Shepard, the best and most patient Admiral in the fleet.”

“Not to mention one of the most tolerant,” said Hannah with a firm handshake. “On both our parts. If I had known she would grow up to be a Spectre, I would have kept her out of the military. Sent her to cooking school, maybe.”

“But who would have kept the galaxy from imploding on itself so many times,” said Karin as they all sat down. “As for your suggestion, Dr. T’Sonai, I have told you the Normandy is no place for a delivery. It would be perfectly safe, mind you, but I do not think it will be healthy for Joker to be sedated for so long.”

Hannah’s brow arched upwards and Karin laughed. “He has not taken to Liara’s pregnancy well. Something about worrying he’ll harm the baby by piloting the Normandy too aggressively.”

“The last time I was on board, we didn’t go above light speed for days. Shepard had to threaten him with insubordination to get him through a Mass Relay,” said Liara with a tolerant sigh. “We’d still be crawling back from Illium if she hadn’t intervened.” 

“Illium,” replied Hannah. “Now that’s a place I haven’t been in about a thousand years. How did it fair after the war?”

Karin eyed Hannah. Her tone of voice had become tight in a way that only the doctor noticed. Something about that planet caused the attractive older woman a twinge of pain, a moment of consternation. Her daughter and daughter-in-law continued to playfully tweak Joker’s sensitivities, giving Karin the chance to turn her full attention to Shepard’s mother.

“I have to say, I haven’t heard much about you. You must have some wonderful war stories.”

Hannah’s expression relaxed and she moved over from the couch to sit opposite Karin, leaning forward and smiling. “As must you. I’ve seen your service record. It’s absolutely spectacular. There isn’t a battle you haven’t fought personally.”

“Thanks in part to your daughter’s penchant for suicide missions,” said Karin. She casually reached out a hand and patted Hannah’s wrist. “A trait she likely got from her mother.”

Hannah did not draw away. The fleeting rush of goosebumps under her fingertips suggested the gesture was in fact quite welcome. Karin suppressed an openly lurid grin as Hannah continued. “Hah, no, that was strictly her father’s influence, not mine. Let’s just say if I had been in charge, our history with the turians would have been far less spectacular. But he would have fought a dozen Skillian Blitzes if the opportunity had presented itself.”

“I would love to hear more,” said Karin, standing up. “The girls told me they bought a bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy and put it in a locked cabinet. I’m the only one with the key.” 

“Serrice? I’ve only heard legends,” replied Hannah, following Karin out of the living room. “I drank a lot of swill in my soldier days. Stuff that makes Batarian ale look like champagne. Not much time for drinking when I was a CO. And now that I’m an admiral, I must set an example for the troops. Need to live lean, support rebuilding, not waste credits on luxuries like good booze.”

As they walked over to the minibar, Karin contemplated her current and unexpected plan of luring Hannah Shepard into her arms. It had been a long time since she had felt desire for anything other than her work, but free flowing alcohol and a beautiful woman had a way of digging up old emotions. There was nothing to lose and everything to gain by doing a bit of hunting, rusty as she was. At worse, she’d embarrass herself in front of her very tolerant companions. At best, she’d spend the evening in a shared bed for the first time in years.

They arrived at the bar and shooed away Zaeed and Vega, both of whom were their best to clean out the girls’ entire supply of cheap whiskey while exchanging largely embellished war stories. Hannah sat on the barstool while Karin dug out a pair of crystal tumblers she had salvaged from the ruins of a store in Italy. Each of these had a different mythical beast etched into the side. She chose a dragon for herself and, with a satisfied smile, handed a chimera to her companion. 

With a deft and secretive hand, she undid the latch on the safe and poured out some of the pale blue liquid into each glass. Before she could craft a toast that would inevitably lead to more private conversation, a grating but not unloved voice cut her off.

“Hey babe. Got enough for one more? You know I’m good for it. Working as a bartender for as long as I did means I can get any liquor in the galaxy half-off. Free if I muscle the right people.”

Karin squelched a sign of disappointment and tugged out another glass, this one of a wyvern, and tipped out a little more of the alcohol. She slid it across the bar to a waiting dark blue palm.

“Ah, Hannah, let me introduce you to-“

“Matriarch Aethyta,” sputtered Hannah, causing Karin to whirl around with such speed that she sloshed half her drink onto the floor. 

The human was gripping her glass with whitened knuckles, almost vibrating with intent. The matriarch had bent back with widened eyes, then downed her drink in a single gulp and slammed it back on the bar.

“Hannah,” she half-shouted. “What the-“

With a military wrist-snap, Hannah Shepard splashed the entirety of her drink into the matriarch’s face and stormed out of the apartment with the commander trailing after her, calling out in confusion. Liara rushed over with a towel and began patting off her father while scolding her for somehow slighting Hannah. Aethyta ignored her, took a bottle of bourbon from a baffled but entertained Zaeed, and drained half of it before handing it back. Then she folded her hands at the back of her neck and banged her head softly on the table.

Shepard came back in and began gesturing at her father-in-law. “Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?”

As much as Karin wanted to hear the story from Aethyta, her doctor’s sense and her own desires told her the better part of her attention should be spent elsewhere. She finished her drink, excused herself, and headed out onto the Silversun Strip to find Hannah.


	2. The Best Thing on the Menu

_The Citadel, Silversun Strip: Sometime after the Reaper War_

Karin caught up to the flustered Hannah just a few blocks from the apartment. Hannah was standing on the deck far above the heart of the city, gazing off into the distance. She had balled up both of her fists in a way that Karin recognized from many years with the younger Shepard, grief being masked by anger. Karin imagined such unbridled sadness was quite out of place for both the woman and the strip itself, which trended towards a frenzied exuberance on its quietest nights. She placed a cautious hand on Hannah’s shoulder, though she had to almost yell to make herself heard.

“Hannah. Are you alright?”

There was no response from the shaking figure. From her place at Hannah’s side, Karin saw a handful of tears slide unhindered down Hannah’s face. Karin resisted both her amorous and doctorly nature to keep from wiping them away. She tried once more.

“Why don’t we go someplace less chaotic and talk? 

“There’s nothing to talk about,” said Hannah between gritted teeth.

“I have been an alliance doctor long enough to know when that line is a lie. Soldiers tell that to me almost as often as, ‘Slap on a little Medigel and I’m good to go.’ You’re going to need to be a little more creative than that if you want me to leave.”

“I’m not one of your marines, doctor. I do not operate under the same protocols.”

“But you are related to Shepard, who has come to me more than once with problems of similar magnitude.” She dropped her voice lower and smoothed it into her usual doctor’s tones. “If I may be so bold, if I am good enough for her, I am probably good enough for you.”

The disquiet between them broke enough for one of Hannah’s fists to uncurl. “I don’t know if Lila would be offended or amused to think you compared her struggles with the Reapers to a heartbreak I experienced twenty years ago.”

Karin rubbed Hannah’s back absentmindedly. “I don’t think she’d judge. That isn’t her way. Not many enter the Alliance with as much patience as she.” She realized that she was administering more physical contact than would be expected for acquaintances of mere minutes and pulled her hand away. A little more tension unwound from Hannah’s posture. 

“As long as you don’t mind an embarrassing tale of relationship humiliation, I suppose I could let you in on this disaster.”

“Not at all. Now I don’t mind taking in the sights of Silversun, but I think something a bit more private might be in order.” Karin attempted to make the next part of her proposition sound less lurid than it was. “I’m staying at a hotel nearby that has a lovely rooftop bar. Between my association with your daughter and your rank, we might be able to wrangle a table on the quieter side.”

Her companion rocked back on her heels and didn’t answer. Karin wondered if she had erred in this delicate negotiation, but Hannah shrugged and turned around. 

“Lead on. It’s not like this outfit has gotten me anywhere else. If I can score us a few drinks at a nice table, I’m happy to.”

With a hopeful smile on her lips, Karin led Hannah to the hotel. Seduction was inappropriate given the circumstances but perhaps this could lay the groundwork for a future encounter. Hope was the order of the day, after all.

....

_Illium, 2166 CE_

Hannah had decided Illium was a pit hours before they docked. Any planet, no matter how pretty, willing to deal with the Terminus Systems wasn’t worth the eezo it took to get there. Enough time spent on the underbelly of New York City had left Hannah able to suss out a place’s real character in minutes. Sure, the city was gorgeous, a wonder of technology and planning, but to her it was still a seedy shithole. 

With all their high talk and superior sneers, the asari weren’t any better than the humans. At least Earth had the sense not to engage in the slave trade. Didn’t matter how those blue bitches prettied it up. It was still wrong. 

But the boys outnumbered the girls on this particular mission, meaning this ship’s first-ever shore leave was going to be something ridiculous. Their CO had nixed Omega as too dangerous to humans, so they had decided on Illium to get their relative fill of debauchery. The SSV Delhi was a standard Alliance cruiser, not the type of ship that would find its way to the borders of Alliance space, let alone to the edges of the Terminus systems. Hannah got the sense her captain was owed more than a handful of favors from the Alliance brass. They did and saw things other crews could only dream of. In this case, it meant a whole week strolling around Illium.

She had lost interest in her crewmembers the minute they made it planet side. The boys were obsessed with finding a brothel or three, maybe even the famed Azure. Hannah had laughed at the notion. If they pooled their entire salaries, they might be able to afford an hour in the lobby. Yet off they went, bragging and boasting even before they set foot on the shuttlecraft. The girls weren’t much better. The famed Illium nightlife, with its glamour and intrigue, sent most of them shopping at the cheapest stores they could find for suitable nightwear. A few went hunting for weapon deals and another few decided the best way to spend their newly-acquired free time was to go drinking.

That was Hannah’s plan too, but she always preferred to drink alone when in this kind of mood. Polite inquiries of the locals sent her to a hole-in-the-wall institution with a rare combination of dive bar and respectable establishment. The décor was sparse but clean, the view wasn’t of a trash-filled alley, and the clientele didn’t eye her suspiciously when she walked in. The Asari working the bar didn’t turn towards her as she sat down and ordered.

“Hey kid. What’ll it be?”

“Whiskey, if you have it,” said Hannah. “Cheap,” she added quickly. “Soldier’s salary and all that.”

“Hrm. Don’t stock a lot of human stuff – not a lot of you hanging around this part of Illium. But I’m sure I can find something that’ll fit your budget without ripping up your insides.”

Shepard nodded and didn’t look up from the bar. In her fifteen-year career, humanity had expanded its reach exponentially, but few made their homes on the planets of other species. Those who chose Illium weren’t likely to muck around in this part of the planet. 

A tall glass of green liquid appeared in front of her and she took a cautious sip. It burned like whiskey but the taste was abysmal, something between paint thinner and deck polish. She swallowed it nonetheless, bred-in politeness barely overcoming her urge to vomit.

The bartender laughed. “Not to your taste, huh? Well, you may be levo like most of us but your taste buds evolved in a different swamp, no offense.”

“None taken. I have to say it’s very diff…er…” Hannah lost her voice when she looked up at the asari in front of her. 

Many asari were conventionally pretty but most looked like teenage girls. This woman was gorgeous. Hannah hadn’t spent much time admiring women, her proclivities firmly straight until this moment, but she could appreciate a full figure and mischievous smirk as well as the next human. The asari bartender had a regal bearing and an air of confidence Hannah instinctively responded to. A warm flush ran up her body as she attempted not to stare.

“Hit you quick too, eh kid.” The bartender peered at her with intensity. “Never seen a human get drunk this quickly.”

“Drinking on an empty st-oma-ch is always a bad idea,” lied Hannah. No sense in letting the bartender know of her sudden attraction. “But no, just startled. It’s…”

“Terrible, I got that. Not offended, don’t worry,” she put her hands out in front of her in a stopping gesture. “We get enough aliens through here that I care more about not poisoning my customers. As long as you don’t start puking blood, we’re good.”

Hannah chuckled and beamed an inappropriately wide smile. She was sure she looked like an idiot. On the other hand, human behavior subtleties were occasionally lost on other races. Maybe she could pass this episode off as alcohol-induced idiocy.

“No danger of that. I’m an Alliance marine, after all. We should be able to withstand a little poison. I swear that’s what the mess sergeant is trying to do anyway.”

“Soldier life is tough, at least I’ve heard. Commandos aren’t quite rank and file like the turians.” She saw Hannah twist her mouth. “Right, still a little bad blood there. It’ll work itself out. The good thing about short lifespans is the people old enough to remember that little skirmish get replaced quickly enough…okay. That sounded a lot better in my head.”

Hannah would have been offended if anyone else had cast such a wide set of aspersions over her race. She finally understood her male companions’ tendency to excuse poor behavior in attractive women since she let an otherwise fight-worthy slur slide. Impossibly, she played along. 

“You haven’t encountered the human ability to hold a grudge. There are still factions of my home country angry about the outcome of a civil war fought over 500 years ago. That’s 10 minutes in asari years, right?”

The bartender smiled and put another drink in front of Hannah. “Try this one. Most of my customers complain it’s flavorless. That’s not bad under the circumstances, right?”

Hannah’s cautious sip confirmed what generations of prior customers had observed. Other than a mild tingle, it felt and tasted like water. She drained the rest of the glass and debated her options as the bartender busied herself with a volus patron. Lingering in bars wasn’t her style. Neither was openly hitting on a bartender. Illium could provide a chance to broaden her horizons without fear of permanent reprisal. She could arrange never coming back if she felt like it. But how did she even begin?

“What do you think,” the bartender asked, appearing in front of her again.

“Tasteless,” said Hannah. “Can I get another?”

“Not a chance. You’ll be unable to stand after a second drink. As it is, you shouldn’t do anything strenuous for a few hours. It hits hard when it does.” 

Hannah frowned. So much for her plan on seducing her bartender, who noticed her disappointment. 

“Hot date tonight,” she said.

Hannah fumbled for a lie that made sense. “Nah, but I was hoping to do a little weapon shopping.”

The bartender leaned over conspiratorially. “How about this? Do a little browsing and bring the results to me. I’ll tell you who’s good and who’s trying to take advantage of a drunk human.”

“Really? You’d do that for me?”

“Sure. Ain’t no blue off my ass to help you get a good deal. In the meantime, I’ll get you something worth drinking. Have a good night, okay? Stay safe.”

Hannah attempted to saunter out of the bar but nearly deposited herself on the floor as she unsteadily tripped over the barstool. She shook her head a few times and meekly walked away with her dignity intact as much as she could. The next few hours were a drunken blur of shopping and recording, as best she could through bleary eyes, the prices and specs of all the weapons and armor she encountered.

Once the haze had worn off, she made her way back to the Delhi and settled into their shared comm room. She dialed out and a few buzzes later, a black woman with close-cropped hair and a slightly crooked nose answered the call.

“Hannah. Good to hear from you. How are things on the Delhi?”

“Not too bad, Keisha. It’s nicer than a frigate to be sure but I still miss my own quarters.” She leaned closer to the comm. “How’s Lila doing?”

Keisha glanced behind her, then slid back on her chair to close the door. “Handling it well, all things considered. She’s not the only one around here with a parent who didn’t make it home.” She smiled. “Lila’s accepted her father’s death in some ways. Bought the Alliance line about remaining strong. The whole nine yards. She cries when she thinks no one is watching but she’s holding it together. How about you?”

Hannah rubbed the place on her finger where her wedding ring used to sit. “I miss him. Some days it’s easier than others. Work helps, quiet time doesn’t. Nice thing about this ship is that we’re just shorthanded enough that…well, you know.”

Keisha sighed and nodded along, then smiled brightly. “But I see you’re on Illium. There are surely things there to distract you.”

Hannah must have flushed brilliantly red because Keisha laughed and said, “I meant nightclubs and shopping. I know you are immune to the charms of the asari, leading to much heartbreak among the visiting commandos.”

Hannah murmured a noncommittal response. All those asari she had spurned throughout her training would laugh now to see her mooning over a woman whose name she didn’t know.

Keisha had continued while Hannah sulked, so the only words she cared about were, “…if you’d like to talk to her.” 

“Of course,” said Hannah. “I’m surprised she isn’t asleep already.”

“She was waiting for your call,” said Keisha. She went back to the door and opened it. “Lila. Your mom is on the phone.”

Excited footsteps clanked in the background and a ball of red-headed energy bounded into view with a flash of a gap-toothed grin, then drew itself together in her best approximation of an Alliance marine.

“Mom. Ma’am. How are you?” Her freckled face set its lips into a straight line and she clenched her jaw in an impression of her father that made Hannah smile. 

“I’m doing well. The Delhi is a good ship. Perhaps you will visit her when I return to the station.” She made a show of peering at her daughter. “And you seem to have grown substantially from last I saw you.”

A huff and snort of derision. “You always say that,” she complained. 

“Well, it’s always true.”

“One day it won’t be true. I’ll be as big as you and you’ll have to think of something else.”

“Then you should continue your accomplishments so I always have something to comment on.” Hannah dropped the teasing and took on a sterner tone. “How are your studies?”

Her daughter perked up. “Good! I got three A’s on my algebra test this week and Mr. Wilkens says I’m ready to move up to the next level in computer science.”

“Well done,” Hannah replied. “Have you begun doing better in history?”

“Yes ma’am,” said Lila, one edge of her mouth sagging. “I got a B- on my last test.”

“Lila Jean Shepard, we both know you are capable of more,” said her mother, repressing a groan of exasperation.

“It’s just…it’s…argh,” she said, throwing up her hands. “It’s so boring.” The word came out in a nasal whine that only preteen girls could generate. “We’re in the middle of the biggest most amazing thing in human history and Captain Tsubasi is making us memorize the names of people who have been dead for two thousand years. What’s the point?”

Hannah leaned in. “The point is our history is what sets us apart from all of these races. Our tenacity, our strength, our individuality. Otherwise we’re just flesh colored asari with no biotics, fewer dreadnaughts, and a terrible lifespan.”

Lila stuck out her tongue. “And hair! Don’t forget hair.” She pouted as her mother laughed. “I like the asari. I want to marry one. Then I’ll have all the best weapons in the galaxy.”

“That you may. Would you like me to bring you something back from Illium? Not a shotgun,” said her mother, bringing up her hands. “Not until your marksman scores are a little higher.” 

“I’m third in my class,” protested Lila. “I would have been first if I didn’t need to swap weapons. It’s not my fault the rifle exploded!”

“Exploded? You told me it jammed.” Her mother’s voice went up an octave.

“Jammed, then exploded,” mumbled Lila. “No one was hurt.”

“Ms. Lila, I do not think you deserve presents until you stop lying to me.” Her voice softened. “I love you. I want you safe.”

“I love you too,” Lila said. Something clattered behind her and she turned around, then back to her mother. “I should go.” She skittered off the chair and out of the room before Hannah could object.

Keisha reappeared and Hannah let her face fall. “How did she get so mature in just a few months? I barely recognize her.”

“That’s what you all say,” Keisha replied softly. “Twenty years of raising spacer kids and I have yet to see a parent who isn’t surprised that time passes when they’re away. Go rest. Call in a few days. I’ll keep her safe, exploding guns notwithstanding.” At Hannah’s glare, she waved her hands. “The clip overheated, gave off a little smoke. Explosion is a stretch but you know how kids are. Take care Hannah.”

“Thank you, Keisha,” said Hannah and the comm went black. She went back to her bunk smiling. The older woman was a skilled parent to everyone on that station, kid or soldier, and Hannah recognized she could worry about Lila a little less. This allowed her thoughts to meander back to the bartender, whomever she was, and Hannah’s plan to lure her into some sort of tryst. She fell asleep before she conjured up a mental hello.

……

Back at the bar, Aethyta, the wayward asari matriarch, was throwing out the last of her patrons and wiping down the tables. It gave her a little time to think before she went home, turned on a crappy turian action film, and fell asleep on the couch. She thought about the human girl and smirked.

Humans were so volatile and expressive, more so than most races she’d known. Aethyta had turned her fair share of heads over the last thousand years but she’d never seen someone look at her like she was the best thing on the menu. Even her beloved Nezzie took her time getting her into bed. This girl on the other hand would have thrown Aethyta on the floor and taken her right there if not for all the customers.

Aethyta tossed her rags in the laundry and began consolidating the booze. It had been a while since she’d had a lover, not for lack of interested parties. And hey, she’d never done it with a human before. Might as well give this one a ride for old time’s sake. She brushed up her cheesy pickup lines on the way home, preparing for the next day’s meeting with…whatever this girl’s name was.


	3. Girls, Guns, and Bad Ideas

_Illium, 2166 CE_

“Rip off. Rip off. Decent price, but that means its stolen. Rip off and he’s an asshole to boot. Not bad – might be able to negotiate a little. A little overpriced. Damn good…”

“But I suspect it’s not legal in Council space,” sighed Hannah. “And certainly not allowed in the Alliance.”

“Bah, who cares. If it’s not a bioweapon, you should be able to fire whatever you want,” the dark blue woman said, dramatically tossing her rag on the bar. “Anyway, those are the three I recommend.”

Hannah tucked the console back in her pocket and leaned against the wall. Time to be as smooth as she didn’t feel. “Yesterday you promised to find me something humans could drink?”

“Coming right up.” A chilled stein appeared from beneath the table and the bartender poured in something that foamed unnervingly when it hit the glass. “I call this one a Cold Day in Hell. Go ahead.”

Hannah sipped it gingerly. The sting on her mouth wasn’t unpleasant, the taste was mild and fruity, but the feeling of freezing liquid going down her throat made her topple over in surprise. A biotic field surrounded her and placed her gently on her chair.

“Not bad…”

“Until you tried to kill me with the drinkable cryo ammo, yeah,” gasped Hannah. “I’d try a variation that doesn’t turn my insides to solid ice.”

The bartender laughed and shrugged. “Okay, I give up for now. Maybe it’s time for me to take a break.” She leaned over conspiratorially. “Why don’t we go down to those merchants and see just how much of a discount I can get you.”

Hannah blinked in surprise. “Really,” she asked, then tamped it down to something she hoped was self-assured. “Sounds great. I’ll meet you in ten at the kiosk down near the carport.”

She found herself pacing the deck, trying not to look like an anxious teenager on a date. The meeting time had come and gone, leaving Hannah wondering if this were an elaborate game for the older asari. An asari whose name she still didn’t know. An asari…who was storming down the street, pushing patrons out of the way with a small biotic field as she charged towards Hannah.

“Hey babe. Sorry for the delay. Manager was giving me some crap about leaving mid-shift. I told him he barely pays me enough to show up sober.” She locked her arm around Hannah’s shoulder and guided her to a nearby weapon’s merchant. “I like this guy and he owes me a few favors.”

The turian behind the counter stood up sharply at their approach.

“Matriarch Aethyta,” he said formally. “I am honored that you would visit me today. Had I known of your arrival, I would have searched for…”

“Hah. At ease, soldier.” She gently pushed Hannah forward. “I’m here for my Alliance pal. Er,” Aethyta peered down at Hannah with a blush to her face. “I seem to have forgotten your name.”

“Hannah. Hannah Shepard. Alliance Military…”

The turian’s eyes narrowed and he looked between the two women. “This isn’t a joke is it?”

“No jokes. You know me better than that, at least where weapons are concerned. Bring out the good stuff, my price. You know I’ll pay the difference.” Aethyta leaned across the counter. “And you know I keep the good stuff flowing.”

Still casting a side-eye at the matriarch, he disappeared into a hidden storage room. Hannah tilted her head up to scan Aethyta face. She had a self-satisfied grin that she fixed on Hannah as the soldier dug for words.

“Thank you. I can’t believe you’d do this for a relative stranger.”

“Well, at my age, what am I going to do with all these credits? Buy a house on the home world? Gamble my life away? Nah, I’d rather have a good time. Weapons are always a good time.” She laughed uproariously. “There’s a shooting range a few blocks back. Choose some weapons and we’ll go try them out.” When the turian came back, she waved a chit in his face. “Down payment, Rarles.”

Hannah went from star-struck to serious as she peered over the shotguns. A close combat woman herself, she was frustrated that the Alliance was switching over to high velocity, high capacity, low accuracy weapons. Why waste a few dozen bullets when a well-placed slug could put the enemy down? After a few rejections, she picked up a stocky model and balanced it in her hands. A little heavy, but nothing a few mods couldn’t fix. The grip was solid and she could imagine absorbing the recoil. She placed it to the side. 

She heard the surprise in the turian’s voice. “A bold choice for a human. Most prefer a lighter weapon.”

“We’re not all alike,” she said, distracted. The curves of an Asari-made gun stood out among the others. She sighed as she lifted it. Of course, it would feel amazing in her hands and of course she could envision the elegant simplicity of its firing. She put it next to the other model. 

Aethyta reached over and lifted a blunt, pockmarked gun that looked like it had been pulled out of a crashed frigate. “Ah, got my favorite.” She heaved it into her grip and turned it over. “The M-300 Claymore. Guaranteed to snap the arms off anyone but a Krogan. Well, and me.”

Hannah tilted her head in confusion as Aethyta peered down the muzzle. “How?”

“For starters I’m half Krogan.” She barked a harsh laugh. “But the real trick is to use a mass effect field generator across your torso. Handles the recoil, loses none of the stopping power.” She tilted the gun at the merchant. “He keeps one around so I can do a little target practice. Speaking of, let’s get some ammo and go have some fun.”

They compared the merits of Hannah’s potential weapons as they walked towards the range and set up inside. Hannah was impressed by the older woman’s knowledge of arms. Asari commandos could talk guns as well as any Marine but Aethyta was on a different level. Makes, evolution, ammo classes and makers. By the time Hannah started firing the guns, her head was spinning. 

She picked up the first weapon and let fire a string of bullets. A slightly harder recoil than she’d like. It dipped down with every shot but when she ran the target forward, she saw her favorite star-shaped hole in the center of mass. Definitely a weapon worth keeping. She turned over to her companion to admire her instead.

Aethyta was gripping the shotgun and firing with almost unseemly glee. Each shot sounded like a thunderclap and generated a tiny shimmer around the asari’s chest, likely the mass effect field being engaged. Hannah shook her head and smiled. The next few rounds were clean headshots as she became accustomed to its feel. She put down the blocky weapon and picked up the asari gun.

The firing mechanism was a little strange, requiring a long pull on the trigger to get the power she expected. After a few shots, she caught her breath. Aethyta had reached over and adjusted Hannah’s grip, moving her fingers a few millimeters wider.

“Gotta use a different kind of finesse with asari weapons. And with asari themselves.” Aethyta brought her lips down to Hannah’s ear. “I’m no expert on human mating rituals but I am guessing part of this field trip was aimed at getting your hands on me and not just the shotguns.”

Hannah fumbled and nearly lost her hold on the gun. Aethyta held it firm. “I don’t mind, babe. In fact, I’d be delighted. Let’s give Rarles back his claymore. Hold on to those two until you can shoot a little less distracted.”

The walk back to the merchant and up to Aethtya’s apartment was a blurry haze for Hannah. Having failed miserably at her seduction, she had instead been expertly propositioned. And accepted. Now she was standing in the middle of a relatively Spartan living room while Aethyta fidgeted with the lock. 

“Damn asari can’t make technology worth a damn sometimes.” The keypad emitted a sad beep. “Yeah, yeah.” Aethyta struck it with the palm of her hand and the mechanism clicked into place.

She turned back towards her guest. “I’ve been meaning to get that maintained for years but I didn’t have a reason to. It’s not like anyone would be here to watch me lose to an inanimate object.” She strolled over to Hannah and pulled her in. “Turns out I was wrong.”

The kiss was as ferocious as the woman herself and she all but drove Hannah into the bedroom and onto the bed. Hannah began unbuttoning her uniform as Aethyta stripped off her clothes in a frenzy. 

“Never been with a human before,” she said, tossing her dress on the floor. “But you bang enough species and you get the general layout.” She drew her eyes over Hannah’s naked body. “And humans are no different, it would seem. Let’s find out, eh?”

Never in Hannah’s life had sex been so simultaneously rambunctious and emotional. Tales of asari melding did not do the experience justice. The physical pleasure was dwarfed by the raging torrent of Aethyta’s emotion wrapping her up in a whirlwind. In the dreamspace she shared, the passion quieted to something warm and centering, leaving her suddenly aching for Roger. When Aethyta released the bond, Hannah found that she was crying.

Aethyta propped herself up on one elbow. “Shit, kid. Did I hurt you? Figured you were into it, what with all the kissing and moaning. Knew I should have asked.”

Hannah shook her head. “It’s been a while for me. My husband…”

Aethyta kissed Hannah’s forehead with uncharacteristic gentleness. “He was a soldier too? Died protecting his people? I get it.” They lay there quietly as Aethyta drew her hands through Hannah’s hair.

“I’ve always wondered what this felt like. Not a lot of fur on most species in the galaxy. Well, Quarians, but they don’t count.” Hannah buried herself into Aethtya’s chest and enjoyed the attention. Too soon she felt her companion stir.

“There’s no way my boss will let me spend the entire day away from the bar, mostly because he’ll lose half his customers if I’m not there to soothe them. You’re welcome to stay up here until I come back. Haven’t been on a ship in a while but they always smell like unwashed ass by this point in the mission. Relax, stretch out. Order some food. I’ll be back in a bit for round two.”

Hannah sprawled on the bed as she watched her lover dress and disappear through the door. She wandered from room to room, inspecting the spare décor. All things asari tended to be polished and sleek but Aethyta’s home had a worn, almost shabby feel. This was the asari equivalent of a bachelor apartment, with furniture a step above prefab cardboard and slapped together crates. There was a small cluster of pictures hidden above a cabinet. Hannah thought to take them down but reconsidered. If Aethyta wanted her to see them, they’d be at eye level. As expected, the fridge was bare. A terminal near an intercom flickered to life when she walked by the kitchen, revealing a few dozen menus. She scrolled through until she found one with a passable human selection, then dialed in.

“Matriarch,” said a delighted hiss, “What can the vol clan do for you today?”

“Um, hi,” said Hannah. “I’m ordering on…behalf…of the Matriarch.” She fumbled for a moment. “Send up…the usual. Two of them.”

The harsh breathing of the Volus sped up as he replied, “Of course. We would be happy to bring you the food. I do hope the Matriarch is feeling well.”

“She is,” said Hannah, tapping her fingers underneath the desk. “Merely indisposed for the moment.” Her eyes darted around the room, looking for a credit chit to pay with. Finding none, she slid her own out of her pocket and sighed. “How much for the meal?”

Hannah could never tell if the volus laughed through their thick suits and respirators. “Remind the Matriarch her tab is always open with us. We will collect when the time is right. The food will arrive shortly.”

Thirty minutes later, Hannah was drowning in soups, fruits, and nameless starches. The stout volus deliveryman had as much trouble as she finding space for everything she had ordered. Apparently Aethyta had not called this restaurant for some time and this was their attempt at luring her back. Had Hannah overseen the finances and the home, she would have been impressed enough to return.

She carefully selected segments of promising looking foods that pretended to be replicas of human dishes. The spaghetti had an oddly slimy texture, the pizza was indistinguishable from a poorly-cooked hamburger, and she didn’t want to think too hard about what they were using as a shish kabob. By the time Aethyta returned home, Hannah had managed to assemble a passable meal and was well into seconds.

Aethyta walked in and surveyed her quarters with amusement masquerading as horror.

“I said get some food, not throw a damn feast. You plannin’ on inviting your shipmates back to share us?” She laughed at Hannah’s widened eyes and stammers. “Nah, just kidding. Looks good. Show me what you have.” 

They ate in relative silence, with Aethyta stopping intermittently to complain about some customer or another who pissed her off. Relatively quickly, she put down her plate and said, “Okay, how about some real dessert.” She dragged Hannah back into the bedroom and spent the next few hours making Hannah regret having eaten so much. They collapsed into a sweaty, contented heap and Aethyta laughed.

“I could really get used to this.” She rolled over and eyed the timepiece. “But I should also get some sleep.”

Hannah began gathering her clothing and slipping it on.

“Hey? Where are you going,” asked Aethyta, sitting up in bed and letting the sheets drop off. “Come on. Stay. No one will notice if you’re missing on shore leave. It’s not like I’m going to eat all this damn food before it goes bad.”

“I don’t have a change of clothes or a toothbrush,” noted Hannah. 

“Oh please. I have extra whatever in the cabinet. And you don’t need a change of clothes if you’re spending most of the day naked,” Aethyta growled playfully. “Alternatively, you get a few changes in the morning so you can do something other than lounge about eating. Maybe go take a few more rounds with the guns.”

That became their ritual for the rest of Hannah’s leave. Mornings and evenings spent in wild passion, days filled with Hannah testing weaponry she had never dreamed of seeing in battle, let alone handling. She’d decided on the blocky weapon. Sure, the Asari shotgun was lovely but she liked a harder trigger with a more predictable rate of fire. This was a turian model with an odd batarian twist. Outside her price range by two year’s salary but the negotiations went well. Aethyta seemed thrilled to spend her money on the guns and got a fair amount of pleasure watching Hannah blow through a few thousands rounds of ammo at the shooting range.

There was more than merely sex and weaponry. Aethyta was a phenomenal conversationalist, as funny and raunchy as she was brilliant. She understood Hannah, listened to her problems and didn’t mock them. Consoled her on the few occasions that something triggered a memory of her husband. Told her how much she appreciated someone who was real for a change.

“You’re different,” she’d say. “Humans in general. You too. Got that fire and flash. I missed that. Everyone around here is too showy. You’re a damn breath of fresh air. Something new in a galaxy that hasn’t had that in way too long.” 

For the first time since she had lost Roger, Hannah found herself wanting to spend time with someone who wasn’t merely a friend or fellow soldier. As uncomfortable as her failed seduction had been, she had drawn close enough to Aethyta to feel like she could share anything without being ashamed.

The day she was about to ship out, Hannah found herself staring at the ceiling, contemplating the blue-green lighting that ran around the edges of the room, collecting the words she wanted to say. Aethyta was laying next to her, snoozing the alarm every time it chirped to get her out of bed. 

Hannah kissed her and wrapped herself into waiting arms. “I need to go soon,” Hannah whispered. She nuzzled closer. “I need to tell you something.”

“Sure. Name it.”

“This has been incredible. Amazing. I was thinking…I’m in the Alliance now, but that isn’t permanent. I could come visit while in the service, maybe come by when I’m on leave. I don’t jump into anything, but I’ve never met anyone like you. Never felt like this about anyone, not even Roger.

Aethyta sat up and rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand. “Kid, listen,” she began. “This week has been like a really good sex dream…but nothing more than that.”

Hannah felt the breath come out of her. “You don’t…want to see me again? You haven’t enjoyed this?”

Aethyta sighed. “Crap. It’s not that. This has been a blast. It’s that I don’t want to play house. At this point in my lifetime, I’ve been done with relationships for a hundred years.” She rearranged the blankets to make more space for Hannah, but she was already pulling away. “I mean, if you’re in town, I’d love to give you another whirl but anything more permanent isn’t my style.”

Hannah had stopped listening to whatever excuses Aethyta was throwing at her. In a furious whirl, she was out of bed and slapping on her uniform while silently seething. She’d been misled, used as a distraction to someone so old that she had run out of games to play. The gifts, the food, and the sex were all things Aethyta used to lure Hannah into exposing her body and mind because Aethyta was bored. Hannah had never felt so used in her life.

“Hey, hey wait, kid. Where are you going?”

Hannah turned and glared at the asari. “I am not a kid, Matriarch. I am an adult in every culture but yours. Maybe because you think that I’m a child you feel it’s acceptable to treat me this way.”

“Wait, I don’t…what are you talking about?”

Hannah went to the table where the shotgun lay in its case. She picked it up and threw it into the bed with Aethyta.

“Here’s a toy you can play with instead of me.”

She stormed out of the apartment in a flurry of anger, ignoring Aethyta’s calling her name and occasionally cursing in confusion. The broken lock protested as Hannah slammed the door and strode into the elevator with a combination of humiliation and rage coloring her cheeks.

She stalked the streets of Illium, being sure to ignore the many merchants whose wares Aethyta had plied her with. God, like Hannah was a whore. There were a few sellers down near the base of the city who she knew sold cheaper weapons, Alliance grade only, but she wanted nothing to do with this planet or the asari anymore. On the way out of the city, she picked up a cheap holo-replica of the Destiny Ascension for her Lila. Then she vowed never to set foot on Illium again.


	4. Considerations and Couplings

_The Citadel, Shepard’s Apartment: Sometime After the Reaper War_

“And that’s how I met your mother,” sighed Aethyta miserably.

The party was no less crowded and the music no less loud, but the mood had shifted substantially. The entire group had gone from mingling about the apartment to listening in rapt attention as Aethyta described her ill-advised tryst with Lila Shepard’s mother. 

When she finally finished, a thick silence settled over the living room, punctuated only by the pounding of a bass beat. 

James Vega, eternally the pioneer, broke through. “So you…and Shepard’s mom…had a thing?”

Aethyta looked at her daughter-in-law with incredulity. “Was he always like this or did the Reapers slap him on the head too many times?” She turned back. “Yes, Vega, we had a thing.”

“And it didn’t occur to you once that Lila Shepard was the daughter of Hannah Shepard, who in addition to sharing her last name,” said Ashley, gesturing at her commander’s increasingly horrified face. “Looks almost identical to your daughter’s wife.”

Aethyta buried her face in her hands. “It’s been over 20 years, kid. I was lucky to remember her first name. And all you humans sort of look alike, no offense. Hell, it’s not like I spent much time looking at her face. Back in the day she had a great ass. Still does, actu-“

“Oh my god, stop it,” cried Shepard, nearly knocking over a lamp with a swing of her arm. “You are not going to talk about my mother’s ass in my apartment.”

“Well what should I do,” snapped Aethyta. “Go back in time and apologize?”

“That might be nice,” said Lila, pacing the floor. “Apologizing now is a close second but she’s not answering her comm.”

“I saw Dr. Chakwas go after her. They’re probably drowning their sorrows in cheap liquor and asari dancing girls by now,” said Jack, making a lewd gesture. “That’s what I would do if one of my exes showed up suddenly. That or beat the shit out of them. Either is a fun way to settle the score.”

“Or the two of them could be…” The muscle-bound man prepared to make a similar physical gesture mimicking similar activities.

“Do not finish that sentence, Mr. Vega, if you want to spend the rest of your time on the Normandy somewhere other than the brig,” warned Shepard.

“Aye, aye, ma’am,” he said with a crisp, if mocking, salute. 

“Not to worry, Shepard. Dr. Chakwas has told me on more than one occasion that I’m all the man she needs.” Joker puffed out his scrawny chest as the party rolled their eyes almost simultaneously.

“Attending to your medical needs is a full-time job,” observed EDI. “But I do not know if you should be proud that you are keeping her from finding companionship.”

“Nah, she married the Alliance a trillion years ago. She’s not going to cheat on all of us with Shepard’s mom.” The rest of the chatter covered up whatever other comments that Joker would have made.

Ashley found her way next to the still blushing Matriarch. “I gotta know. Soldier to…whatever you are. What did you do with the weapons after she threw them at you?”

Aethyta rubbed her neck and examined her knees. “I, er, kept them.”

“Really? That’s uncharacteristically sentimental of you,” observed Liara. “I did not know you were capable of such things.”

“Hey, I’m plenty sentimental,” she snapped. “You should see all the crap I have left over from my time with Nezzie.” She settled down. “I figured she’d cool off, come back. We’d talk it out, have a good time.” Aethyta looked thoughtful. “I didn’t realize how much I’d hurt her or how well humans hold a grudge. I’ve seen Krogan more willing to forgive.”

Aethyta lay back and took another swig of her whiskey. “I held on to them for a while and then gave them away to the next Alliance chick who came into the bar and chatted me up. It was the least I could do.” She got up and walked away, waving off her daughter and the rest of the party to stand by the window.

A shifting clank of armor let her know she wasn’t going to be alone long. The brutal bounty hunter who had initially passed her the alcohol stood next to her, not saying anything as he handed her another bottle. She drained the remainder and put the container next to them. He kicked it aside and it clattered into the wall. 

“You know,” he said in a booze-soaked voice. “You sound like a woman who can appreciate high-quality weaponry. I have a rifle back on my ship. ‘Er name’s Jesse. I could show her to you, swap some stories if you’d like.”

She scanned Zaeed with bloodshot and wary eyes. “I’ve heard worse pickup lines,” she said with a shrug. “My place, though. I’ve had enough bad sex in cramped shuttles for a lifetime. Maybe two.”

He sauntered after her. “I dunno beautiful. I haven’t gotten any complaints on my last few forays into Asari physiology. I could surprise you.” 

“We’ll see,” she grunted and left the apartment. 

They strolled through the overcrowded Silversun Strip. She glanced at him and watched his eyes flicker around them. Checking vantage points, scanning the crowd, moving his body an inch closer to hers and putting his other hand on his weapon. Like she’d need to be saved by pile of guns and muscle. She could throw a singularity or two that would clear the promenade with room to spare. 

She appreciated it anyway. He was an old hunter, more like her than he could guess and she would admit. The killing she’d done as a mercenary never translated to an organized career as a commando. By the time she realized she wanted to fight for a cause instead of shooting people for cash, she had passed the point where it would be an option. She channeled that energy into reconfiguring asari society to no avail. By the time she met Nezzie, her fury had turned to a frustrated resignation. And all those “I told you so’s” didn’t make her feel better when the Reapers rolled over Thessia.

Zaeed’s body told a different story but one no less bitter. That scar across his face could have only come from betrayal; no sharpshooter’s rifle would leave that man alive. He moved like he carried more armor and extra weapons, like he was alive far longer than he had intended. She could see him dying in a flashy firefight just as easily as she could envision him drinking himself to death on some backwater planet. Yet here he was, accompanying her with a cheerful scowl for a sexual interlude she wasn’t sure either of them wanted. 

Aethyta understood why Zaeed stuck around. It was Shepard. He knew if Shepard was alive, he would always have a place. He would have a purpose. She showed him a future beyond cruising about the galaxy looking for a way to alleviate the boredom.

Maybe that was also why Aethyta had let herself play with Hannah. At first, she hadn’t given much thought to their interactions as anything beyond a good time. Then she came to view Hannah much differently. Hannah wasn’t a toy or distraction, not in the way Hannah had implied. Hannah was a brilliant island in the endless monotony of Aethyta’s existence: her longing for her love, her distance from her people, her estrangement from a child she wished she had known. Hannah was a fantasy that Aethyta slipped into, a life where Aethyta was happy.

She didn’t realize how far she’d let it go until that damn girl started making plans. Maybe Aethyta could have been kinder at the end? But she was shit at that kind of thing anyway. That was all Shepard and Liara. And Benezia. She would have known how to keep from hurting Hannah.

Aethyta hadn’t had the words back then to say what she meant: there could never be anyone after Benezia. There was no way any creature in the galaxy could measure up and it would have been cruel for Aethyta to even pretend. That week was the only bright spot but she knew it couldn’t last. It wasn’t until she met Shepard – the younger – and started watching Liara that she had something to do again. In some small way, this was the happiest she had been in years. What a commentary on the poor quality of her life.

They crossed over a busy street in one of the wards and Zaeed paused, tilted his head at her and scanning her with his one good eye.

“You know, I meant it when I said we could just talk. Guns, life, war, whatever.” He waved a gauntleted hand. “If I really needed a piece of hot Asari ass, I could go to Omega and spend a few hundred credits. You’re a goddamn masterpiece. I’d be an idiot if I spent my night with my head buried in your tits.”

“Seriously,” she asked, continuing in front of him. “No offense, but we know that’s not why you handed me two bottles of whiskey.”

“I did a job once for a drop-dead gorgeous matriarch out on the edge of the Verge. Cleared out a nest of Eclipse mercs who got too big for their britches. Turns out one of them was her daughter.” Aethyta stopped. “When I went to collect, she figured she’d give me a sendoff. Took off her clothes, took off mine, but…I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t bang a grieving mother. Told her as much. She spent the night in my arms, crying. Everyone I’ve met since has told me I was an idiot.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I disagree. Get to be my age, well, as a human, and you learn priorities. It’s up to you.”

They kept walking and she snorted quietly. Maybe she’d keep her clothes on tonight, work out some of those issues she’d kept buried for a century. Tomorrow, on the other hand? She could use the workout.

\--

_The Citadel, Treetop Hotel: Sometime After the Reaper War_

Hannah brushed her face with the back of her hand, pushing away a smattering of tears. “You must think I’m ridiculous.”

Karin took in a steadying breath and placed her hand on Hannah’s. “I think you would not be the first person who fell under the sway of a powerful, alluring asari and Aethyta has more presence than most.”

Hannah smiled. “That she does. I never met anyone quite like her in my travels. Never found that shotgun either, though I didn’t try much. I found it best to move past that period in my life. I thought I had, but apparently that was still an open wound.”

“In medicine, we learn that some injuries may remain hidden for decades until a trigger reveals them. In this case, it was coming unexpectedly face-to-face with someone who broke your heart when you were vulnerable. It’s quite natural, you know.”

Hannah hung her head and inched closer to Karin. “It doesn’t feel natural. It feels childish and out of character for an admiral and soon-to-be grandmother. I appreciate your indulgence nonetheless.”

Karin stood gestured towards the promenade below them. “I think right now you need some distraction. There are a few hundred restaurants, bars, and casinos within fifteen minutes of here.” She elbowed her companion who had come to stand next to her. “Not counting the ones your daughter destroyed during one encounter or another.”

Hannah emitted a groan. “My daughter, Lila Shepard. Savior of the galaxy, bane of Citadel nightlife.” Then she looked up at Karin with half-lidded eyes and a wicked smile. “Actually, there are other forms of distraction I would prefer right now. Ones that I believe we were heading towards before we were so rudely interrupted by my youthful crush.”

Karin contemplated Hannah’s lovely face. “I will admit to having initially pursued you for such a purpose, yes. However, I am not in the habit of exploiting someone’s emotional turmoil for my own gain. Are you certain you wish to proceed?”

Hannah turned and wrapped her arms around Karin’s midsection. “Karin,” she chided. “I’m 59 years old. I can tell what I want, when I want it, and with whom I want it.” She pressed her body against Karin’s, allowing the doctor to feel the muscles rippling underneath her dress blues. “Right now, what I want is to spend the next few hours creating a whole new set of memories with a stunning woman.”

Sex was not something Karin Chakwas had engaged in for decades. The basic maneuvers she recalled but the mechanics were as rusty as her pistol skills. She was less acquainted with her own needs after years of self-satisfaction, but Hannah was an eager and attentive lover. It took longer than in her youth and perhaps was a bit less intense as her body had aged, but it was nevertheless a wonderful release. Opening her eyes to see another woman smiling down at her was unexpectedly pleasurable as well. 

With Hannah’s guidance, she reciprocated. She had never examined the female anatomy in such detail and found it quite to her liking. It was more technical than a man’s and more enjoyable to explore, especially when rewarded with delightful gasps and fingers twisting through her hair. It might not be something Karin would revisit with another partner, but she was exceptionally happy to have found herself here. 

Hannah curled up on Karin’s chest and ran her fingers down the curve of her face. “It has been far too long since I’ve done that. It may be unseemly for an admiral to say so, but I find I quite like being in bed with you.”

“I agree. I had forgotten there are other forms of fulfillment besides professional success and the companionship of soldiers.”

They lay in silence, listening to the ever-present whir of the skycars outside the shaded windows of the hotel.

“What do you propose we do for the rest of the evening,” asked Karin. “I suspect our absence at the party has been noted.”

“I have zero interest in going back there to clear the air or explain myself or do anything of the sort. Aethyta made this mess. Aethyta can clean it up.” Hannah’s body tensed with every mention of that woman’s name and Karin rushed into prevent the mood from souring. 

“I was thinking more of whether you would like to get room service or have another cocktail on the rooftop before returning.” Karin drew shapes on Hannah’s back. “I know you have a ship docked at bay R37. I know you have a private cabin and a crew who are waiting for you. Right now, I would much prefer if you stayed with me tonight. Just to talk. Or to make love. Whatever you’d like.”

Hannah’s response was to slide up the doctor’s body and kiss her passionately. “Room service. Preferably served by VI with a faulty memory chip.”


	5. Breakfast Resolutions

_The Citadel, Treetop Hotel: Sometime After the Reaper War_

Karin woke in the morning to find Hannah already showering. Shortly before they fell asleep the night before she had wondered which of them would be awake first. Both had decades of military experience, which made sleeping in almost impossible. Perhaps the excess alcohol in Karin’s system had proved her downfall. 

When her companion emerged, naked and grinning, Karin took a sober moment to contemplate her current predicament. She had succeeded in bedding the magnificent Hannah Shepard. But now what? The Normandy left the Citadel in just a few days. Dr. Chakwas had no intention of being left behind, an amazing night notwithstanding.

Hannah slid into bed, propped herself up on one arm and then insinuated her leg between Karin’s, claiming her for the moment. “I need to make a confession,” she said in a tone that was less apologetic and more self-satisfied.

“It seems to be the time for them. I am prepared,” Karin replied in her most professional, doctor’s voice.

“Besides seeing my family, my other purpose in coming to the party was to meet you.” 

Karin blinked twice. “Really?

“Lila told me about you, Karin. Not just your war stories, which were amazing. About you, your care for her, and your devotion to the Alliance.” Hannah drew her fingertips down the curve of Karin’s hip. “She neglected to mention your beauty and poise, but she likely doesn’t see you that way.”

“Ah yes, the side effects of maintaining a healthy boundary between one and one’s doctor. Also, she’s had eyes for Liara alone since the two of them met.” Karin enjoyed the run of goosebumps under Hannah’s hand.

“Indeed. She said she would marry an asari and here I am, about to have a little blue grandchild. Regardless, Lila said the average age of the Alliance had dropped by a decade after the war. She assumed, correctly I believe, that having a true peer might be a pleasant change for us.” 

Karin laughed softly. “I doubt she meant for us to end up in bed together.”

“I agree. In fact, I am sure she’ll be horrified.” She placed another kiss on Karin’s shoulder. “I certainly didn’t attend the party tonight with that goal in mind.”

“Neither did I,” admitted Karin. “I am not much for sappy romance or lurid bar hookups but the moment I saw you walk in, I knew I should direct my talents towards attracting you.”

“Aethyta’s interference notwithstanding, I believe you would have succeeded.” Hannah ran her fingers through Karin’s greying hair. “There is so much I want to know about you. Not only your accomplishments and successes. The awful things, as well. Lila says you’ve never talked about what happened to you in the Collector base. She worries that it will keep festering within you.” 

Karin closed her eyes and felt the choking orange fluid surrounding her once more. She heard the screams and sobs. She swallowed the memory and turned away from her lover.

“The most horrifying moments of my life do not make for fulfilling pillow talk, Hannah.”

“I don’t mean now, Karin. I mean later, if you’ll have me.”

Karin felt Hannah’s arm encircle her waist and pull her back against her body. “I know we’re both married to the Alliance. I won’t pretend I want it any other way. But I’ve found the Alliance is very good at letting us take a mistress occasionally.” 

Karin threaded her fingers through Hannah’s. “A lover in every port, Admiral?”

“Hardly,” she snorted. “But I’ve been alone a very long time and so have you.” She nibbled her way across Karin’s collarbone. “There aren’t many left in the Alliance who have seen and done as much as we have. Coming home to someone every now and then sounds a damn sight better than another meal in the mess hall.”

Hannah paused. “Of course, the last time I proposed something like that after a few nights of passion, I spent the next 25 years vowing I’d never go back to Illium. I can’t do the same thing with the Normandy or the Citadel.”

Karin wrapped herself into Hannah’s arms. “I think that sounds lovely.” She regained her doctor’s tone. “Now, Admiral, I would say we should spend the next few hours convincing ourselves that keeping in touch is a fantastic idea.”

“As magnificent as that would be, I saw about two dozen missed calls from my daughter. I suspect we are expected back at the apartment for breakfast,” said Hannah. She flopped onto Karin’s body, causing her to give off a groan. “And for me to hash things out with Aethyta. No sense in having every family reunion end with a few hundred credits of brandy on the floor.”  
 

\--  
_The Citadel, Shepard's Apartment: Sometime After the Reaper War_

Hannah and Aethyta eyed each other across the breakfast table. The meal had been set up by the last of the fleeing guests, all of whom wanted to hear the conversation and none of whom wanted to deal with the impending violence. 

“You live as long as I have, you know when a bar fight is going to break out. Not the fun kind, either,” said Wrex, with Zaeed nodding along. “The kind where you have to avoid the planet for a few years until most of the people have died or moved along.”

Recognizing the wisdom coming from several hundred years of scrapping, shooting, and drinking, everyone else had abandoned the apartment. It was Liara’s practical nature to have put food down for her father and mother-in-law, but she waddled as fast as she could after the group.

“This is awkward,” said Aethyta. She picked up her fork and tapped it on the plate.

“It is,” said Hannah. She folded her napkin and placed it beside her. “I will not expect you to apologize. From what Lila has told me, that is not your forte. At this point, I will ask for an explanation.”

Aethyta slumped back in her chair. “If you’ve talked to Liara, you’ll know those aren’t my forte either. I’m a think second, act first kind of gal.”

“I’ve noticed,” said Hannah. She leaned forward. “I’m no matriarch but I’m at least mentally as old as you were when you were screwing me. If I had someone living in my apartment for a week and throwing money at her as fast as I could make it, I would think it was one of two things. Either I was hosting a very expensive girlfriend or a very lucky whore.”

“Goddess, neither. I was having fun. It had been a long time since I’d had that sort of fun. Why not spend my money? Liara was out of the picture at that point. Sending her unsolicited credits would have been strange.”

“I was a replacement…for your…”

“No, holy crap, no. Asari may do some weird stuff but having sex with our children isn’t on the list.” Her hands waved furiously in front of her. “I meant I wanted to do something for someone other than myself. And you were the first person who had shown interest in me for just my ass in decades. Matriarchs are kind of a prize, you know. Pure sex isn’t a thing. Everyone wanting to get in my pants wants sage advice or influence. Meanwhile, you just wanted to bang me in a public room. That’s flattering.” 

Hannah shook her head. “You were something I’d never encountered before. Every asari I met was like some anxious teenager, ready to fight or fuck in a heartbeat. You were a force of nature. I got swept up. I felt so stupid. I still feel stupid.”

“Nah. Ain’t no point. We both misread. We both miscalculated.” She leaned forward, deeply serious, all trace of the crass backwater accent erased from her voice. “I never meant to hurt you, Hannah. I meant to enjoy ourselves and to give us a reprieve. You mourned your husband. I mourned my wife, Liara’s mother. The true love of my life. There could never, would never be a woman like her. I couldn’t be anything else but hers.”

“I thought you cared,” whispered Hannah. “I spent years berating myself for believing anyone could ever want me again.” She clasped her hands in front of her head. A few tears escaped her eyes.

“And I spent years with those guns in my closet,” said Aethyta, “regretting my actions every morning as I dressed. I even…goddess, never repeat this…I even thought about finding you through the Alliance and sending them back.”

Hannah chuckled once. “I would have spaced them.”

“Yeah, I know. That’s why I didn’t.”

The moment passed and Aethyta resumed her public self. “So that’s the story. I’m sorry it took this long to work it out.” She arched an eyebrow. “Wanna do it again?”

“Our daughters will murder us. Or they will send very qualified people to do so.” Hannah mopped her eyes with the napkin, then folded it next to her plate. “Besides, I have other…plans.”

Aethyta smiled a lecherous grin. “Well well. Now who’s inviting people home for a little distraction. A doctor, too? Good for patching you up after a hard session.” She clanged her fork on the table. “I hope it works. Seriously. At this point in life, we all deserve to be happy.” 

Hannah stood up, grazed her hand over Aethyta’s shoulder, and walked out of the room. “That includes you. Take care, Matriarch.”

Aethyta moved the eggs around on her plate. They were cold and she wasn’t hungry. She half wanted to seek out Zaeed to continue what they had started last night but he was on his way out. He’d got a transmission from a friend about a job. While she was in here making nice, he was jetting off to some planet to, how did he put it, “throw a few bastards into the cold hell they deserve.” He’d be back, but not sure when.

Her solitude lasted approximately three self-pitying minutes before her daughter lumbered in with an aggravated looking Shepard.

“You. This is all your fault,” Lila said, pointing a sharp finger at Aethyta.

“Yeah, we established that last night.”

“No. I mean my mother is sleeping with my medical officer. How the hell am I going to explain that to the crew? How can I…ugh.” She threw her hands up in the air and turned to Liara. “We are never having another party in our lives. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

Aethyta laughed and excused herself from the table. She wondered how quickly she could grab a shuttle off the Citadel. Maybe Zaeed would appreciate another pair of hands. It had been a while since she’d felt a gun in her hands and given all the turmoil, it sounded like just what the doctor ordered.


End file.
